Senior / Principal Engineer – Electric Engine Lead

The Role

As a Senior / Principal Engineer – Electric Engine Lead, you will serve as the technical authority for development of the electric engine(s) on the EL9 Ultra Short Aircraft.

You will refine requirements, guide supplier development, serve as approval authority on supplier design reviews, develop and define interfaces internally and externally and ensure delivered hardware meets Electra's performance, safety, and certification standards. You will play a critical role in ensuring electric propulsion systems are fully integrated, validated, and compliant within a highly coupled hybrid-electric aircraft architecture.

This is a highly cross-functional and externally facing role, requiring strong technical judgment, supplier engagement, and systems thinking.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the technical owner for electric engine development, including supplier-developed hardware, across the full lifecycle from requirements through certification
• Refine electric engine requirements, interfaces, and acceptance criteria, and ensure alignment with aircraft-level performance, safety, and integration needs
• Provide technical oversight of suppliers, including design reviews, analysis/test evaluation, and issue resolution to ensure compliant, high-quality deliverables
• Lead integration of the electric engine with the propeller, electrical systems, and airframe, ensuring proper functionality, reliability, and maintainability
• Support certification activities by authoring specifications, test plans, compliance artifacts, contributing to safety assessments, and ensuring supplier deliverables meet regulatory expectations
• Collaborate cross-functionally and support system- and aircraft-level verification, including ground and flight testing

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Principal) of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Strong understanding of electric propulsion systems (motors, inverters/power electronics, cooling) and their application in aircraft or similar systems
• Experience integrating complex subsystems into a larger platform, including interface definition and system-level considerations
• Familiarity with systems engineering practices, including requirements development, validation, and traceability per SAE ARP4754
• Knowledge of certification processes (FAA Part 23/25 or equivalent) and safety-critical development practices (FHA, FMEA, FTA) per SAE ARP4761
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work effectively across internal teams and external partners
• Experience managing suppliers to meet deliverables on-time with high quality in the face of multiple risks

Bonus Points

• Experience overseeing suppliers in the development of aircraft electric propulsion systems (motors, inverters, or integrated electric propulsion units)
• Prior involvement in aircraft certification programs, including engagement with FAA or equivalent authorities
• Familiarity with hybrid-electric aircraft systems and power architectures
• Experience with electric machine/motor control development, motor modeling, or plant characterization and integration with powertrain controls
• Experience with fault-tolerant or redundant propulsion architectures and safety-critical design considerations

Leveling Expectations

Final leveling (Senior or Principal) will be determined based on the candidate's experience, education, demonstrated skills, and degree of independence and autonomy appropriate for the role.

Both levels require a strong foundation in engineering principles and the ability to solve complex technical problems. Differentiation between levels is based on degree of ownership, autonomy, and influence.

Senior Engineer

• Applies broad engineering knowledge to solve complex problems, working under limited direction
• Independently develops approaches and executes within assigned scope (supplier oversight, integration, compliance)
• Collaborates effectively and drives issue resolution with minimal guidance

Principal Engineer

• Applies deep, broad expertise to solve complex, cross-cutting technical problems
• Exercises significant autonomy in defining objectives, approaches, and technical direction
• Serves as a technical authority, influencing decisions and owning outcomes across the electric propulsion domain